No seat-belt, Prius fatality

It still amazes me how many people drive without their seat belts on.
Last year, in Toronto there was a accident where on the Gardiner Expressway (which is pretty much a bridge highway) there were 2 cars racing. One happened to be a 2 seater convertable with 3 people in it. The 3rd person was a young girl sitting in the left passengers lap. The car hit the wall of the highway and she was tossed out of the car, she probably wouldn't of lived anyway, but falling 50 feet or so I'm sure didn't help.

 

After 10 years of working on an ambulance I will not pull away unless my front seat passanger has a belt on and made sure we had the best car seats for our children.

 

I agree.

I'm sure they all have a multitude of excuses why they shouldn't wear one, but anyone who doesn't wear a seat belt is pretty much asking for trouble.

You could be the best driver in the world but it only takes one idiot to jump a red and you're dead!

 

I guess I was fortunate to buy a 1973 model Chev. It wouldn't even start without the seatbelt buckled. I haven't driven without one since. Odd how things change us, too bad for that youngster.

 

What about those people that put their children in DANGER when they drive without putting them in carseats or seat belts. I saw these everyday people have their children horseplaying in the backsat while they're driving.

 

More people might get the message if every news story about a car accident fatality would make it a big point to emphasize when seatbelts were not used. I'd consider that a public service.

 

dire,
I've noticed that a high percentage of stories on traffic fatalities here and in various places around the country do state whether the victim wore seat belts. I bet that it's a standard part of the police information that reporters would get these days. Anyone know if that's the case?

Kimoy,
I was a kid before the seat belt era who bounced around in the back seat fighting with my sister. At least it was the back seat--a lot of kids sat in the front passenger seat without a seatbelt--and I wanted to be one of them. I thought my parents were SO MEAN for keeping us in the back.

 

This goes out to the other teenagers out there... WHY? For the two seconds it takes to "snap" yourself in, it truly will save your life. Just a month ago, I found out the shock that a friend of mine rolled his truck without a belt, and died. Is it REALLY that big of a deal? Please wear your seatbelts.

 

Sadly it's not just teenagers. How often here on PC is one of the first mods people want to do is turn off the seatbelt tones. I knew how to turn off the seatbelt tones before I even sat in my Prius... PUT ON THE BELT

 

Seat belts YES, dinging chime a PIA, that's why it is turned off if you read others posts.

If I have a package or bookbag or even my dog I don't need a nag.

Its the driver who must ensure all are buckled!

 

There are endless examples of people making fatally stupid choices, yet many still expect free markets (that is, people making choices) to work perfectly and solve all our problems. Sheesh.

 

Wow. This is a horrible accident, not an indictment of the free market. Governments make much worse mistakes than individuals. Free markets are much more efficient than government controlled markets. Get the facts straight.

 

It's just a matter of time. Soon, law suits will be won. The dead "Victim" family sues because the car COULD be designed to not drive unless seat belts are used. Blame it on the manufacturer not the dummy ... whether it's a dummy who drives without belting up, or whether it's a dummy who gets out of the car and leaves it running. Blame it on the SKS when you die of carbon monoxide poisoning, simply because you can exit the car with it in your pocket? um, you can leave a car running with a key it it too. Same thing ... but no ... blame it on the manufacturer.

 

Nothing personal. Every lawyer in America would go after the one with the money. That is the manufacturer.

 

I played drums in a trio who's talented, 18 y/o guitar player rolled his Tacoma pickup while coming up I5 from LA. He knows he likely would have died without a seatbelt on.

I think not having a seatbelt in a serious car accident is virtually guaranteed to cause injury because you are going to hit something in the car - steering wheel, dashboard, something.

Anyrate, we have click-it or ticket law in CA for all occupants. And motorcycle helmet law too. Was in CO in September - weird to see riders w/o helmets. Haven't seen that here for over 20 years.